Challenge #46 ~ “A book with a non-human as one of the main characters.”
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
My opinion in three sentences:
Past Me, why did you put off reading this for so long when book one was so epic? Regardless of the reason (or probable lack thereof), this, too, proved a fantastic addition to the universe, offering its own distinctive plot arc as well as great development of the existing characters and world. If I had to query one thing, it would be the pacing, which saw a sudden drastic increase towards the end after what had been a fairly steady first-half (though I’m certainly not complaining about the content and that incredible cliff-hanger we finished on!)
(Without spoiling anything) the best bit:
I really liked Sim’s inclusion of some niche history within the plot. I’ve not seen many books (let alone young adult ones) that touch upon British occupation of India and the subsequent rebellions. I was at first a little sceptical since the story is set in an alternative universe (and one with fantasy elements at that), but Sim did a great job at fusing the two in a respectful and educational way.
A warning for the book:
The pacing of the book was the weakest element by far. The book got off to a steady (borderline slow, some might say) start, which persisted for much of the book, such that there came a point where it felt as if too much needed to fit in to a very few pages. Consequently, what followed was a non-stop, fast-paced race through several plot points, though this did admittedly provide a great running start to entice the reader into book three…
Recommended for fans of:
- Black Light Express by Philip Reeve
- The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer
- The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
Dreaming With Your Eyes Wide Open 